Spinal Oligodendroglioma with Diffuse Arachnoidal Dissemination in A
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Spinal Oligodendroglioma with Diffuse Arachnoidal Dissemination in a Japanese Black Heifer Kazuyuki UCHIDA, Miki MURANAKA, Takayuki MURAKAMI1), Ryoji YAMAGUCHI and Susumu TATEYAMA Departments of Veterinary Pathology and 1)Veterinary Anatomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Miyazaki University, Miyazaki 889–2192, Japan (Received 9 June 1999/Accepted 16 August 1999) ABSTRACT. A gelatinous focus with cystic spaces, was found in the posterior funiculus of the 2nd to 3rd lumbar levels of the spinal cord of a Japanese Black heifer, 2 years old, with clinical signs of severe dysstasia. Histopathological examination revealed that the spinal lesion consisted of multifocal and diffuse proliferation of round cells with abundant vacuolar cytoplasm and hyperchromatic nuclei. In the lesions there was a number of cystic spaces containing aggregates of small round cells. The neoplastic foci showed a honeycomb structure divided by thin blood vessels, representing typical lesions of oligodendroglioma. Diffuse and multifocal proliferation of these round cells were also recognized in the subarachnoidal space in the sacral spinal cord. Immunohistochemically, the proliferating round cells were negative for glial fibrillary acidic protein. Based on these morphological features, the case was diagnosed as lumbar spinal oligodendroglioma with diffuse arachnoidal dissemination.—KEY WORDS: bovine, oligodendroglioma, spinal cord. J. Vet. Med. Sci. 61(12): 1323–1326, 1999 Oligodendroglioma is a common brain tumor of animals, cord were also stained with Luxol fast blue (LFB), Masson’s especially dogs [13], but only one bovine case has been trichrome, Watanabe’s silver impregnation, and alcian blue reported [1]. Although both animal and human (pH 2.5). Histopathological examination revealed that the oligodendrogliomas are known to occur predominantly in lumbar spinal lesion consisted of multifocal and diffuse the white matter of the cerebral hemispheres [9, 12, 13], proliferation of neoplastic cells with cystic spaces (Fig. 2). spinal oligodendrogliomas are also recognized occasionally The tumor mass was located mainly in the white matter, in children, and their clinical and pathological natures have and the posterior funiculus were almost totally replaced by been well demonstrated in several human cases [2]. In the proliferating tumor cells and cystic places. The contrast, spinal cord tumors including oligodendrogliomas neoplastic foci showed a honeycomb structure with solid [5, 15] are rare in animals, except for extra-medullar tumors proliferation of round cells, representing the typical such as spinal nephroblastomas in young dogs [13], and appearance of oligodendroglioma (Fig. 3). Most neoplastic bovine spinal gliomas are considered to be extremely cells were round in shape with abundant clear cytoplasm unusual [1]. and hyperchromatic central nuclei. The presence of The present paper describes the morphological and cytoplasmic processes was not confirmed. In the tumor immunohistochemical features of a spinal there were a number of blood vessels with thin vascular oligodendroglioma in a 2-year-old Japanese Black heifer walls, while the endothelial cells did not show apparent and discusses the similarity between human and bovine hyperplastic or proliferative changes. There were also a cases. few of well differentiated astrocytes with well defined A 2-year-old Japanese Black heifer suddenly developed eosinophilic cytoplasmic processes in the neoplastic foci. hind limbs paralysis and dysstasia. The animal was treated In contrast, at the periphery of the neoplastic foci, diffuse by clysis with Ringer’s solution, but the clinical signs did proliferation of these astrocytes was prominent. Within the not improve. The animal was euthanatized by electric shock cystic spaces, there were aggregates of small number of 7 days after clinical onset at the owner’s request, and small round cells mimicking lymphocytes, with small necropsied immediately. In the brain, there were no hyperchromatic round nuclei and scanty cytoplasm. Mitoses significant lesions, but congestion and yellowish of the neoplastic cells were extremely rare. The neoplastic discoloration was recognized in the posterior area of the cells invaded the leptomeninges, and the subarachnoidal 2nd to 3rd levels of the lumbar spinal cord. The cut surface space was filled by a proliferation of these cells. Diffuse in this area revealed a pale gelatinous focus, approximately and multifocal proliferation of the round cells and 1 cm in diameter, with multiple cystic spaces filled with lymphocyte-like small round cells, were also seen in the clear fluid, located mainly in the posterior funiculus (Fig. subarachnoidal space in the 2nd and 3rd levels of the sacral 1). The gelatinous focus was attached to the dura mater, spinal cord (Fig. 4). In this area, some foci consisted of and the subarachnoidal space was replaced by the gelatinous aggregates of neoplastic cells, and some areas showed an material. In the subarachnoidal space of the lower lumbo- organoid structure made up of tumor cells, a few astrocytes sacral spinal cord, a small amount of fibrinous material, and their cytoplasmic processes (Fig. 5). Besides the spinal pale to tan in color, was distributed diffusely and widely. cord there was no evidences for metastasis of the spinal Tissue samples were fixed in 10% formalin and routinely cord tumor. processed. Paraffin sections were stained with hematoxylin Immunohistochemistry was performed using the Envision and eosin (HE), and some selected sections of the spinal polymer method (Dako Japan Co. Ltd., Kyoto, Japan). The 1324 K. UCHIDA ET AL. Fig. 1. A gelatinous foci with cystic spaces mainly in the posterior funiculus of the lumbar spinal cords (L2 to L3). Fig. 2. Diffuse proliferation of neoplastic cells with forming many cystic spaces in the posterior funiculus of the lumbar spinal cord (L2). HE. × 10. Fig. 3. A honeycomb structure with accumulation of round neoplastic cells with a proliferation of blood vessels. HE. × 200. Fig. 4. Multiple foci (arrows) consisting of a proliferation of neoplastic cells in the subarachnoidal space of the sacral spinal cord (S3). HE. × 50. Fig. 5. High power magnification of Fig. 4. Neoplastic focus showing organoid structures. HE. × 100. Fig. 6. A few number of GFAP-positive astrocytes (arrow heads) in the neoplastic foci of the lumbar spinal cord. The round tumor cells with abundant clear cytoplasm are negative for GFAP. GFAP-immunostain. × 300. following antibodies were used as primary antibodies; rabbit Dako), myelin basic protein (MBP, prediluted, Zymed antisera against human glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP, Laboratories, South San Francisco, CA, U.S.A.) and neuron- Prediluted, Dako), bovine galactocerebroside (GC, 1:200, specific enolase (NSE, 1:200, Dako), and mouse monoclonal Chemicon, Temecula, CA, U.S.A.), bovine S-100 (1:400, antibodies against human neurofilament (NF, 1:20, Dako), BOVINE SPINAL OLIGODENDROGLIOMA 1325 vimentin (1:40, Dako), synaptophysin (1:20, Dako), and of the tumor for GFAP, NSE, NF and synaptophysin may proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA, prediluted, Dako). support our diagnosis. A few GFAP-positive astrocytes To visualize microglia, sections were stained with were present in the neoplastic foci, and diffuse proliferation biotinylated lectin Ricinus communis agglutinin-1 (RCA-1, of GFAP-positive astrocytes was recognized at the tumor 1:400, EY Laboratories, San Mateo, CA, U.S.A.). The lectin periphery. These GFAP-positive astrocytes were considered staining was done using the avidin-biotin peroxidase to be reactive astrocytes. The presence of a sub-population complex method (Vector Laboratories, Burlingame, CA, of neoplastic cells with astrocytic differentiation known as U.S.A.). Immunohistochemically, neoplastic round cells minigemistocytes or gliofibrillary oligodendrocytes has been with abundant clear cytoplasm and small lymphocyte-like demonstrated in many human oligodendrocytic tumors [4, cells were completely negative for GFAP. Only a few of 11]. However, we were unable to confirm the neoplastic GFAP-positive astrocytes were recognized within the nature of the GFAP-positive cells in the present case. Since neoplastic foci (Fig. 6), and many GFAP-positive astrocytes histopathological differentiation between pure were distributed at the periphery. Immunostaining for MBP oligodendroglioma and mixed glioma (oligo-astroglioma) and GC labeled myelin sheaths and intact oligodendrocytes may be quite difficult, mixed glioma could still be intensely, and intact and reactive astrocytes also showed considered in the differential diagnosis of this tumor. moderate immunoreactivity for GC. Neoplastic round cells Anaplastic (malignant) oligodendrogliomas are characterized were moderately positive for GC and negative for MBP. by anaplastic morphology and prominent mitotic activity of The neoplastic cells were negative for other antibodies, tumor cells, vascular endothelial proliferation, and abundant including NF, synaptophysin, vimentin, S-100, NSE, and necrosis sometimes with calcium deposits [9, 12, 13]. In lectin RCA-1. The number of tumor cells with PCNA- spite of the wide arachnoidal dissemination, the tumor cells positive nuclei was very small, approximately 3 to 5 cells showed the typical morphology of oligodendroglioma with under high-power magnification (10 × 40). A similar low growth activity, suggested by the extreme rarity of number of PCNA-positive astrocytes were detected at the mitotic figures and PNCA immunoreactivity. Moreover,